§ 20-472 Penalties.
AC § 20-472
Editor's note: this section has been amended by L.L. 2025/183, 12/12/2025, eff. 9/8/2026). a. Any person who violates the provisions of sections 20-453 and 20-474.1 of this subchapter shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine of $250. In addition, any police officer may seize any vehicle used to transport goods to a general vendor, along with the goods contained therein, where the driver is required to but cannot produce evidence of a distributor's license. Any vehicle and goods so seized may be subject to forfeiture upon notice and judicial determination. If a forfeiture proceeding is not commenced, the owner or other person lawfully entitled to possession of such vehicle and goods may be charged with the reasonable cost for removal and storage payable prior to the release of such vehicle and goods, unless the charge of unlicensed distributing has been dismissed. b.
1.In addition to the penalties prescribed by subdivision a of this section, any person who violates, or any person aiding another to violate, the provisions of section 20-453 shall be liable for a civil penalty of $250 together with a penalty of $250 per day for every day during which the unlicensed business operated; except that a person who violates, or any person aiding another to violate, the provisions of section 20-453 by engaging in continued unlicensed activity as defined by the commissioner, considering factors including but not limited to the frequency and duration of such unlicensed activity and whether such vendor had an opportunity to obtain a license, shall be liable for a civil penalty of $1,000 together with a penalty of $250 per day for every day during which the unlicensed business operated. The commissioner may also consider additional civil penalties of up to $1,000 if such person had an opportunity to obtain a license or add themselves to the waitlist for such license.
2.Any person who violates any of the provisions of this subchapter, other than section 20-453 or subdivisions (g), (h), (i) or (j) of section 20-465, or any of the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder shall be liable for a civil penalty as follows: (a) For the first violation, a penalty of $25.
(b)For the second violation issued for the same offense within a period of 2 years of the date of a first violation, a penalty of $50.
(c)For the third violation issued for the same offense within a period of 2 years of the date of a first violation, a penalty of $100.
(d)For any subsequent violations issued for the same offense within a period of 2 years of the date of a first violation, a penalty of $250.
3.Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this subdivision, a person shall be subject to a civil penalty of zero dollars for a first violation of subdivision b of section 20-461 or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder. The notice of violation for such first violation shall inform the respondent of the provision of law or rule that the department believes the respondent has violated, describe the condition or activity that is the basis for the notice of violation, and advise the respondent that the law authorizes civil penalties for such violation and that subsequent violations may result in the imposition of such civil penalties. Any person who violates subdivision b of section 20-461 or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder shall be subject to a civil penalty of $25 for a second violation and a civil penalty of $50 for a third or subsequent violation.
4.Any person who violates subdivisions (g), (h), (i) or (j) of section 20-465, or any of the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder, shall be liable for a civil penalty as follows: (a) For the first violation, a penalty of $50.
